Downtown Independent
Democrats Zooms its
fundraiser, engages members
BY TEQUILA MINSKY
It’s not often that you see a fire-eater,
local musical talent and a Beat poet
during a typical Zoom gathering, let
alone a political fundraiser.
Yet in this pandemic year, more than
90 members and supporters of Downtown
Independent Democrats (DID), all purposefully
like-minded, enjoyed that kind
of entertainment while Zooming during
its recent annual fundraiser. Most of the
attendees hail from the neighborhoods of
the East Village, Lower East Side, Soho,
Financial District and Tribeca.
Entertaining as well as serious, gala
funds raised go to the programs, activities
and actions of this progressive downtown
political club.
“We want to connect the community
and their interests to elected officials and
support them,” says Richard Corman,
president of DID, explaining how a political
club helps get its endorsed candidates
on the ballot, which is often very difficult
without a club’s support. “We help get the
necessary signatures.”
Corman puts the definition simply,
“Political clubs are a way for people to
take their values and translate them into
action and focus on good governance and
policy.” A club is also an official entity of
its political party.
During the evening, four awards of
honor were presented to those whose works
represent the club’s progressive values.
DID awarded New York City Public
Advocate Jumaane Williams Elected Official
of the Year, “who has never stopped
fighting for us.”
Williams never shies from taking a stand.
He has participated in civil disobedience
and been arrested numerous times while a
member of City Council— demonstrating
for the rights of immigrants, Occupy Wall
Street, and during the Trump January 20,
2017 inauguration, he was arrested outside
of Trump Tower.
Former New York City Census Director,
Julie Menin received the award for being
the 2020 New York City Civic Champion
“who has made sure we all get counted.”
Menin, also a former chair of Community
Board 1 and also a former Commissioner
of the Mayor’s Office of Media and
Entertainment saw 61% direct responses
for Census returns — a very high number
for a major city—prior to enumerators
More than 90 members of Downtown Independent Democrats attended the
awards ceremony/gala/fundraiser by Zoom.
going door-to-door to catch those who
didn’t self-return the census.
DID recognized Eric Diaz, Director Vision
Urbana, as the 2020 Downtown Pandemic
Hero, “who has brought food to so
many in need.” Drawing on experience with
its food pantry program and connections in
the community, the Lower East Side-based
Vision Urbana has provided food for 1200
food insecure households on the Lower
East Side particularly in NYCHA housing,
during this Pandemic time.
And, not to ignore the arts and their
legacy in enriching downtown neighborhoods,
The Wooster Group received the
SCREENSHOT BY TEQUILA MINSKY
Downtown Arts Award. Continuously
creating since 1975, The Wooster Group
is a company of artists who make work for
theater, dance, and media, based in Soho at
The Performing Garage, 33 Wooster Street,
where they develop and perform work.
Monies raised at the fundraiser go to
direct political action: forums, endorsements,
mail outreach; educational panels
(e.g. on racial justice, how government really
works); the website and other activities.
Earlier this year DID bought hundreds of
PPE packets of masks, gloves, and sanitizer,
distributing them to downtown health
workers during the supply shortage.
Hate crimes begin to spike amid
uptick in victims of anti-trans attacks
BY MATT TRACY
GAY CITY NEWS
Hate crimes soared nationwide
last year to
new heights not seen in
more than a decade, according to
new FBI data, and there was an
increase in the number of victims
targeted on the basis of gender
identity.
The 2019 nationwide statistics
were announced just weeks after
the NYPD reported fresher numbers
showing a more recent drop
in hate crimes this year compared
to last year in New York City.
But the release of the annual
nationwide FBI report, which
includes information on race,
sexual orientation, gender identity,
and other demographics,
revealed concerning longerterm
patterns. Law enforcement
agencies logged 7,314 criminal
incidents, according to the FBI,
for a total of 8,559 related offenses.
Last year marked an
increase of nearly 200 criminal
incidents from the year before
and represented the third consecutive
year with at least 7,100
criminal incidents across the
United States.
The cases overwhelmingly
pertained to single-issue bias
incidents, 57.6% of which were
tied to offenders’ bias in relation
to race, ethnicity, or ancestry.
The number of victims who
were targeted on the basis of
gender identity increased from
189 last year to 227 this year.
Meanwhile, there were 1,429
victims targeted for their sexual
orientation in 2019 compared to
1,445 victims last year.
Of the bias incidents that were
motivated by homophobia in
2019, 28% occurred in or near
residences, 22% happened on
highways, roads, alleys, streets,
or sidewalks, and 7.3% were
at schools or colleges. Gender
identity-based crimes showed a
somewhat similar pattern, with
25.8 percent of such incidents
occurring at a residence or home
and 25.3% happening on highways,
roads, alleys, streets, or
sidewalks.
Time will tell whether those
numbers will improve this year,
but some encouraging signs are
emerging out of New York City.
Hate crimes have dipped by
34% so far this year in the five
boroughs. There were 26 sexual
orientation-related hate crimes
through November 1 of this year
compared to 44 at the same point
last year — a 41 percent decrease
— though the chart provided by
the NYPD does not specify a
category for gender identity.
Members of the Proud Boys have been egged on the hatefilled
drivel flowing from President Donald Trump’s mouth.
Anti-Muslim hate crimes dipped
by 75% in the five boroughs, anti-
Semitic hate crimes were reduced
by 49%, and hate crimes targeting
Hispanic individuals decreased by
83%. Thirty-three hate crimes targeted
Black individuals, up from
32 at the same point last year, and
anti-Asian hate crimes remained
the same.
The nationwide and local
numbers are surfacing during a
record-breaking year of violence
targeting transgender, gender
REUTERS
non-conforming, and non-binary
individuals across the nation,
especially trans women of color.
At least 37 transgender or nonbinary
individuals have suffered
violent deaths this year across the
nation and many families are still
seeking justice for those victims.
Due to a patchwork system of
state laws, many locations lack
non-discrimination protections
or hate crimes laws protecting
individuals on the basis of sexual
orientation or gender identity.
4 November 26, 2020 Schneps Media